Screen-door catch.



H. HUNTER. SCREEN DOORl CATCH.

APPLIOATION FILED MAILS, 1909.

El @M e. Wu

HOMER HUNTER, 0F PRESCOTT, ARIZONA TERRITORY.

SCREEN-DOOR CATCH.

entras.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented Bec. 21, 1909.

Application led March 8, 1909. Serial No. 482,085.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOMER HUNTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Prescott, in the county of Yavapai and Territory of Arizona, have invent-ed certain new and useful Improvements in Screen- Door Catches; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to door catches and particularly to combined catches and buffers for screen doors.

The object of the invention is the provision of a cheap catch which will act as a buffer to prevent the noise occasioned by slamming, and a further object is to improve the structure shown in my Patent No. 879,174, granted Feb. 18, 1908.

lith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangements of parts as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a horizontal section taken through a door jamb and door just above the latch. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective with the parts moved from the jamb and door and Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of one of the catch members.

eferring more especially to the drawings, 1 represents a door frame or amb, and 2, the door, only a part of which is shown. The amb member of the catch is composed of two right angularly bent members, 3 and 4, which are pivoted on the jamb by screws, :3, or in any other suitable manner, to form a receiving channel, 6. The horizontal portions of the members, 8 and 4, are provided with outwardly flaring ends, 7, and 8, adapted to guide the door member', 9, into latching position. Extending through alined apertures, 10 and 11, found in the rear ends of the horizontal portions of the members, 3 and 4, is a ring shaped spring, l2, whose free ends are engaged with shallow sockets, 13. This spring holds the forward ends of the members, 8 and 4, together thus restricting the passage of the door member and making the channel wider at the rear of the members.

The door member, 9, comprises a vertical engaging portion, 14, which have passed therethrough the attaching screws, 15, so that this member may be adjusted to accommodate sagging of the door. The vertical portion has formed integral therewith the horizontal engaging portion, 16, which enters between the members, 3 and 4, whose frictional engagement therewith holds the door in a closed position.

In order that there may be no noise resulting from the slamming of the door, 2, I secure to the door, 1, and so as to lie in the rabbet, 17,' a square buffer, 18, by a central screw, 19.

It will be noticed that by pressing the ends of the spring together or spreading them apart that the friction of the catch may be increased or lessened and that this catch can be used with equal facility on either right hand or left'hand doors without cutting or marring the frames.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is-

1. A latch comprising a pair of independently pivoted members arranged for operative movement, a ring-shaped spring passing through apertures in said members at the rear end of each and engaging sockets in said members at their forward ends, whereby said forward ends are held together, said forward ends being bent to form a flaring entrance, and a straight body member frictionally engaging between said members.

2. A latch comprising a pair of independently pivoted members, a spring passing therethrough and adapted to hold said members together at one end, and means to frictionally engage between said members.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HOMER HUNTER. Witnesses:

T. L. I-IUGI-rns, BERNARD J. KAVANAGH. 

